SPORTS BRIEFS

Agencies

BASKETBALL

Lin likely to rejoin Knicks

Jeremy Lin, the Asian-American standout who came off the bench to revive the New York Knicks last season, is likely to rejoin the team after an arbitrator’s ruling yesterday. The NBA players union sought “Larry Bird rule” free agency protection for Lin, Steve Novak, Chauncey Billups, J.J. Hickson and future players claimed off waivers just as if they had been traded under NBA salary cap rules. The NBA said it will appeal the ruling by arbitrator Kenneth Dam. All four players were waived this season and claimed by other teams, with Lin the most notable, having been dropped by two clubs before being given a chance by the Knicks. All four will become free agents on July 1. Lin, the first US player of Taiwanese heritage in the NBA, was given a chance to come off the bench after injuries to two New York starters and made an electrifying impact, sparking a seven-game win streak with last-second shots and spectacular passes and sending Knicks fans into “Linsanity.” The ruling will allow the Knicks to re-sign Lin and Novak for US$5 million each and add another player for US$3 million or less under NBA salary cap rules, giving them a chance at such veterans as Steve Nash or Jason Kidd.

GOLF

Lara disqualified over club

Twice European Tour winner Jose Manuel Lara was disqualified from the BMW International in Cologne yesterday after his caddie tried to conceal the fact the Spanish golfer had an illegal 15th club in his bag. “His caddie noticed he had a 15th club and on the second hole he attempted to lose it in a thick bush,” chief referee John Paramor told Sky Sports television. “He was seen entering the bush with the bag of clubs by his playing partners who thought it was a little bit suspicious,” added Paramor, who disqualified Lara following an opening-round 73. “They went and asked the chap ‘What are you doing?’ and he sort of fumbled out an answer. It was clear the club was out of the bag and in the bush at the time. He admitted it straight away and regretted his action. We interviewed the player and are perfectly satisfied he had no knowledge of what was going on,” Paramor said.Sweden’s Joel Sjoeholm shot a six-under-par 66 in the second round yesterday to lead in Cologne with an 11-under total of 133. Former Ryder Cup player Paul McGinley of Ireland shared second place on 135 with British duo Chris Wood and Danny Willett and Fabrizio Zanotti of Paraguay.

CRICKET

Bravo fined for criticism

West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has been fined 20 percent of his match fee for publicly criticizing an umpiring decision, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said yesterday. Commenting on the dismissal of teammate Chris Gayle in Tuesday’s second one-day international against England at The Oval, Bravo said: “It is okay, umpires make mistakes. That’s accepted, but not when they see it after and they realized they made a wrong decision and stand by it.” However, match referee Jeff Crowe said in an ICC statement that Bravo had stepped “over the mark.” Gayle, who made 53 from 51 balls, was given out leg before wicket by umpire Tony Hill and asked for the decision to be reviewed. The batsman believed he had inside-edged the ball before it hit his pad, but after viewing replays of the incident, television umpire Kumar Dharmasena upheld the original decision. West Indies lost the match and the series 2-0. The third game in Leeds yesterday was washed out by rain without a ball being bowled.

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